AP Journalist Dives Into Gulf, Can Only See Oil

(AP) _ An Associated Press video journalist recently jumped into the Gulf of Mexico to check out the continuing oil spill for himself.
Here’s how it went:
Dallas-based Rich Matthews says he was out 40 miles in the Gulf when he jumped off the boat into the thickest patch of red oil he’s ever seen.
Matthews says he opened his eyes and realized his mask was already smeared and he couldn’t see anything. Matthews was alone because other divers with him wouldn’t get into the water without Hazmat suits. Matthews described himself as looking “a little like one of those poor pelicans we’ve all been seeing for days now.” He describes the oil as being thick and sticky, “almost like a cake batter,” and it has to be scraped off. He scrubbed with dishwashing soap to clean up before the captain would let him back into the boat.